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Prapanchasara Tantra

Prapanchasara Tantra

Prapanchasara tantra / प्रपञ्चसार तन्त्र / প্রপঞ্চসার তন্ত্র

The Prapanchasara Tantra is a celebrated Tantrik text generally attributed to Shri Shankaracharya.

Prapancha means the 5 basic elements of our Universe - Ether, Air, Fire, Water and Earth. Prapanchasara Tantra is therefore the Science of the Essence of the 5 Basic Elemental Principles.

Prapanchasara is an authoritative Tantra text.
  • It is cited as such by Raghava Bhatta, who wrote the famed commentary (Bhashya) on Sharadatilaka Tantra, authored by Lakshmanacharya.
  • It is referred by Kalicharana in his notes on the ShatChakara-nirupana.
Commentaries of Prapanchasara Tantra include.
  • Prapanchasara Sambandha Dipika
  • Prapanchasara Vivarana
  • Prapanchasara Sarasangraha
Below is a summary of Prapanchasara Tantra. In order to download please visit DLI website.

Chapter 1
1. Deals with the origin of the world and the nature of existence
2. Discussion on the two basic principles - Purusha and Prakriti
3. Discussion on the 25 tattva-s
4. Discussion on the evolution of Prakrita from Bindu to Nada onto various gross manifestations

Chapter 2
Point 4 of Chapter 1 is explained in greater details

Chapter 3
1. Discussion on the Science of Speech
2. Discussion on the trinity
a. Soma - vowels
b. Surya - occlusives and nasals
c. Agni - semi-vowels and sibilants
3. The 50 letters of the alphabet

Chapter 4
Discussion on Kundalini and her mantra hrIM

Chapter 5
Initiation to Mantra Shastra

Chapter 6
Initiation and homa description

Chapter 7
sarasvatI / bhArati

Chapter 8
1. sarasvatI / bhArati
2. prAMAgni-hotra

Chapter 9
shrI / tripurA

Chapter 10
mUlaprakRRiti / bhuvaneshvarI

Chapter 11
mUlaprakRRiti / bhuvaneshvarI

Chapter 12
lakShmI

Chapter 13
durgA / devI

Chapter 14
durgA / devI

Chapter 15
mUlaprakRRiti / bhuvaneshvarI

Chapter 16
agni

Chapter 17
gaNeSha

Chapter 18
1. kAma
2. kRRiShNa

Chapter 19
1. praNava mantra
2. yoga

Chapter 20
viShNu
a. Meaning of the 8-letter mantra auM namaH nArAyaNAya/ ॐ नमः नारायणाय
b. Enumeration of the 10 avatAras of Vishnu
c. Ritual details

Chapter 21
viShNu

Chapter 22
viShNu

Chapter 23
viShNu

Chapter 24
viShNu

Chapter 25
viShNu

Chapter 26
shiva

Chapter 27
shiva

Chapter 28
shiva

Chapter 29
Metres : gAyatrI, triShTubh, anuShTubh

Chapter 30
Metres : gAyatrI, triShTubh, anuShTubh

Chapter 31
Metres : gAyatrI, triShTubh, anuShTubh

Chapter 32
1. durgA / devI
2. yantras

Chapter 33
1. guru worship
2. ethical rules

Actual text ends with Chapter 33. Possible later additions:
Chapter 34 : lavaNamantra
Chapter 35 : prANa-pratiShThA-mantra
Chapter 36 : viShNu



References:
1. Prapanchasara Tantra
2. A History of Indian Literature - Gonda - 02.2
3. Tantrik Texts, Arthur Avalon - Vol III

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That's it. Thank you for reading about Prapanchasara Tantra. You may also like the following.

Interesting Facts about Rig Veda
Interesting Facts about Atharva Veda
Purpose of Hindu Philosophy 
Books on Vedas 
Kalivilasa Tantra

External Reading
Acharya Shankara and Tantra Shastra

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